Pathogenic T Cells in Guillain Barré Syndrome
Abstract
Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is a potentially fatal condition that occurs when the immune system attacks peripheral nerves. What causes this deviant immune response has been a focus of Dr. Maureen Su’s research since her early training as a postdoctoral fellow. Together with Dr. Jason Whitmire, she recently identified an important factor that increases expression of genes inside immune cells. Importantly, this factor, called UTX, drives the expression of genes important for the development of two particular types of T cells (Tfh and Th17) that have been reported by others to be higher in patients with GBS than those without. Research in other autoimmune diseases have shown that Tfh and Th17 cells play an essential role in disease development, suggesting that UTX might induce GBS development by helping Tfh and Th17 cells to arise. Indeed, mutating UTX in T cells of the immune system prevents peripheral nerve destruction in a GBS mouse model. In this grant proposal, Dr. Su and Dr. Whitmire will test recently developed inhibitors that block UTX’s function as a potential therapy for GBS. Additionally, inhibitors that prevent Tfh and Th17 cells development or activity will also be tested to determine whether these compounds might also be used as potential GBS therapies. We envision that each these experiments have the potential to make a significant impact on how GBS is treated in the near future. A strength of this proposal is that we will not only analyze GBS mouse models, but also samples from patients with GBS. Because GBS is a bigger problem for military families than the general population, we expect that these findings will be especially helpful to military personnel.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Dec 05, 2021
- Source ID
- W81XWH2110918
Entities
People
- Maureen A Su
Organizations
- United States Army
- University of California, Los Angeles